What are some tips for knitting sweater patterns for pets?

A:

Quick Answer

It is best to first measure your pet and then adjust your knitting pattern. Compare these measurements to those of the pattern and choose a suitable size. Use a washable yarn with a tight spin, so the sweater stays in shape even after your pet rolls and plays in it. If you switch yarns or needles, it is important to check your gauge to ensure proper fitting. For this, it is a good practice to always make a test swatch.

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The sweater should cover the base of the neck to just above the base of the tail. Add about 1 inch to the neck circumference for ease. Add about 1 to 5 inches of ease to the chest circumference depending on the desired fitting. Do not add any ease while measuring the width between front legs or the length from the neck to the leg openings.

Knitting a swatch of 10 rows with 20 stitches each, helps to determine how many stitches and rows per inch you create. This is useful, since changing yarns and needles affects the size of the sweater. Use a different color piece of yarn, or a wire twist, as markers after a certain number of rows or stitches to keep track.